EN
Optical phonon dispersion for β-HgS was measured by the neutron scattering for the first time. The results confirmed theoretically predicted anomalous behavior of phonon modes in this material, resulting probably from high ionicity of mercury sulphide and large difference of Hg and S atomic mass. Influence of the isotopic effects on the TO-phonon mode for HgSe and HgS is analyzed. The possible observation of such effects in IR reflectivity spectra taken for HgSe at low temperature is discussed.